Drain the pickles in a colander, then spread on paper towels to drain completely. Combine the buttermilk and hot sauce in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, and 2 tablespoons of Essence.

Heat the oil in a medium pot to 350 degrees F.

Submerge the pickles in batches in the buttermilk, then dip into the flour mixture, tossing to evenly coat. Shake in a strainer to remove any excess batter. Add to the oil in batches, turning, until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and season with Essence and salt, to taste. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve hot.

I think you're on to something Cruz -- For me, it's the pickle in the recipe that should be spiced up, not the batter! Once you've got good flavor in the pickle, the batter can be toned down a lot, and let the zippy flavor of the pickle come forward. I would quarter the pickles into spears instead of slicing them-- more like when you fry up zucchini sticks. Easy to eat that way.

Drain liquid from pickle jar and discard. Quarter each whole pickle into spears. Place pickles back into jars (will take about 2 pint jars). Stuff in the onions, chilis, and garlic cloves. Dissolve sugar in cider vinegar over low heat. Cool and pour over pickles and spices in jars. Cap tightly and refrigerate 5-6 days. These taste good all by themselves!

I think these pickles would be great fried in a light batter without a lot of spices. Sprinkling a little Essence over all while hot just before serving may be ok, though!